Just a month after turning his back on a #40,000-a-week five-year contract with Leeds, Bowyer can expect a hot reception when he returns to Elland Road with boyhood heroes West Ham.

Venables, who has admitted his managerial contract with Leeds is for two years and does not include any option, was sad to see Bowyer bring the curtain down on his six-and-a-half year association with United.

Although Bowyer's days at Leeds will primarily be remembered for two high-profile trials as well as a number of on-field misdemeanours, Venables prefers to recall his footballing ability.

"He was here for a few years - through some difficult times and some good times - and I believe he always put it in for the club," reflected Venables.

"Even when he didn't play well, he always worked hard, while every day he was a joy to work with because he gave everything in training.

"Maybe I didn't see the best of him because we moved him around a bit and I think he also tried too hard, maybe it was a case he wanted to do really well in his last season.

"But he had some really good games as well and I am very well aware of how good a player he is. He studies the game. He is deadly keen and he listens to everything. He always wants to do better.

"Of course, there were difficulties and we knew all about his contract situation, but then it is the boy's right to leave the club if he has reasons to do so, and he was coming to the end of his contract anyway.

"So we shouldn't really hammer him about that. I'd like him to be remembered for the good times he had here, and I'd like to see him get a good reaction.

"But he is one of those guys you do miss. He is a cheery personality, you hear him all the time and he's got something to say about everything.

"Whenever he used to come back up from London, he would bring pie and mash for me. Now I don't get that, but I expect he'll bring it tomorrow!

"So I can only call it by saying I miss having him around."

Venables, who has faced countless problems since he took over at Leeds last summer, has sympathy for the plight of Hammers boss Glenn Roeder and the criticism he has encountered in the light of West Ham's battle to avoid the drop.

"I'd like him to keep them up," added Venables, who appointed Roeder captain of QPR when he was in charge of the London club in the early 1980s.

"He is a really great bloke. He was always one of the boys, but there was always a little bit of a gentleman about him too.

"Looking at his time at West Ham, I think he has done well considering he has not had too much experience.

"He has also handled himself well given the hammer - excuse the pun - he has had in the papers with the results.

"If things went bad he would be unhappy, but he can be quietly proud of himself and the way he has handled things.

"I am a bit surprised at the position they are in, but when you get yourself in a bit of a hole then it's hard to get out of it.

"But you are never surprised with any of West Ham's results because you know - as they have proved before - they can go to places like Manchester United and win."

Venables has a striker crisis for the game with the Hammers as Mark Viduka starts a three-match ban following his sending off in the FA Cup fourth-round tie at Gillingham

Alan Smith, who today signed his new three-and-a-half year contract, is out with a chest infection which also makes him doubtful for England's friendly with Australia on Wednesday.

Harry Kewell, although returning to training today despite struggling with a tight hamstring which could also sideline him for the international at Upton Park, may not figure.

It means Eirik Bakke will again play as an emergency striker and will be partnered by either Jason Wilcox or James Milner should Kewell definitely miss out.

In defence, Venables has Raul Bravo - on loan for the rest of the season from Real Madrid - available, but Teddy Lucic and Lucas Radebe are both out after suffering concussion in recent matches.